As least 10 dead on holiday isle as torrential rain leaves locals swimming for their lives
Two British tourists were killed within hours of arriving on the holiday island of Majorca when their taxi was swept away by floodwaters that were described as ‘‘biblical’’.
At least 10 people died when torrential rainstorms deluged the town of Sant Llorenc, about 60km east of the capital, Palma, on Wednesday.
Lloyd Milen, the British Consul for the Balearic Islands and Catalonia, said the couple had just landed in Palma and were travelling from the airport to their hotel when the floods hit.
Antonia Bauza, the deputy mayor of the town, confirmed to Cadena SER radio that two others killed in the area were locals. An elderly woman’s body was found in her the basement of her house.
The Foreign Office said it was ‘‘urgently seeking updates’’ from its Spanish counterparts about the fate of any British people who were stranded in the area.
Rafael Nadal, the twotime Wimbledon champion who lives 10km from the affected area, opened up his sports academy in Manacor for those washed out of their homes and businesses by the deluge. The Nadal Academy called it a ‘‘sad day for Majorca’’ and extended its ‘‘deepest condolences’’ to the families of those killed.
The British couple were found dead inside a taxi that had been driving through the town of Sant Llorenc des Cardassar when a nearby river burst its banks and the vehicle was swept away.
The taxi driver, who had been working for a cab firm called Radio Taxi Cala Mill, is among at least eight people missing after18cm of rain fell in a two-hour spell overnight.
Locals told how they had to swim for their lives after a wall of water smashed into their homes, while others watched helplessly as cars with people still inside were washed away.
A spokesman for the emergency services said: ‘‘The British victims were travelling in a taxi that was swept away by flash floods. Their bodies were found inside the vehicle.’’
She could not say what their ages were or where they were travelling to or from, adding: ‘‘This information forms part of an ongoing investigation. Our work now is focused on searching for those people who remain missing.’’
– Telegraph Group